Heat forward LeBron James said Wednesday he's sorry for the way he handled his move as a free agent from Cleveland to Miami last summer.

“The way it panned out with all the friends and family and fans back home, I apologize for the way it happened. This was the opportunity of lifetime," James said after Miami completed its Eastern Conference semifinal series victory over the Boston Celtics.

He added, "As much as I loved my teammates in Cleveland, I knew (beating Boston) wasn't something I could do by myself."

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James was almost universally criticized by fans, media and NBA types for announcing his decision to “take my talents to South Beach” on an hour-long ESPN special titled "The Decision" before he even informed the Cavaliers organization that he was leaving. The Heat were also blasted for holding what had the feel of a victory celebration after they signed James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade last July.

AOL FanHouse columnist David Whitley contributed to this report from Miami.